Categories: C=O Bond Formation > Synthesis of ketones >

Synthesis of ketones by isomerisations

Recent Literature

An efficient remote isomerization of aromatic and aliphatic alkenyl alcohols into ketones is catalyzed by a commercially available catalyst and ligand ([RhCl(cod)]₂ and Xantphos). This process features high efficiency, low catalyst loading, good functional group tolerance, and a broad substrate scope.
W. Dong, H. Yang, W. Yang, W. Zhao, Org. Lett., 2020, 22, 1265-1269.

An operationally simple palladium-catalyzed isomerization of highly substituted allylic alcohols and alkenyl alcohols is applicable to a broad range of substrates and displays a wide functional group tolerance. Carbonyl compounds can usually be isolated in high chemical yield. Experimental and computational mechanistic investigations provide evidence for a chain-walking process consisting of repeated migratory insertion/β-H elimination sequences.
E. Larionov, L. Lin, L. Guénée, C. Mazet, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2014, 136, 16882-16894.

Phenanthroline and tert-butoxide are powerful radical initiators, that enable a catalyzed transition-metal-free allylic isomerization of allylic alcoholsvia a base-promoted allylic anion pathway. The radical pathway is supported by experimental evidence that includes kinetic study, kinetic isotope effect, isotope-labeling experiments, trapping experiments, and EPR experiments.
H.-X. Zheng, Z.-F. Xiao, C.-Z. Yao, Q.-Q. Li, X.-S. Ning, Y.-B. Kang, Y. Tang, Org. Lett., 2015, 17, 6102-6105.

Nickel-catalyzed isomerizations of homoallylic alcohols provide ketone products are generated in very good yield. These isomerization reactions occur in the presence of a simple nickel catalyst that does not require addition of an exogenous ligand.
D. D. Youmans, H. N. Tran. L. M. Stanley, Org. Lett., 2023, 25, 3559-3563.

Grubbs' 2nd generation and Hoveyda-Grubbs' ruthenium alkylidenes are shown to be effective catalysts for cross-metatheses of allylic alcohols with cyclic and acyclic olefins, as well as isomerization of the resulting allylic alcohols to alkyl ketones in a single-flask process that provides highly functionalized, ketone-containing products.
D. Finnegan, B. A. Seigal, M. L. Snapper, Org. Lett., 2006, 8, 2603-2606.

An alternative pathway to the Wacker oxidation of internal olefins involving epoxidation of trans-alkenes followed by a mild and highly regioselective isomerization gives ketone isomers in good yield.
J. R. Lamb, M. Mulzer, A. M. LaPointe, G. W. Coates, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2015, 137, 15049-15054.

DABCO-mediated Meinwald rearrangements of 2-aryl-, alkenyl-, and alkynylepoxides provide the corresponding methyl ketones chemospecifically in good yields. The reaction offers readily accessible starting materials, a wide substrate scope, a transition-metal- and acid-free environment, and chemospecificity in the isomerization of epoxides.
S. Li, Y. Shi, P. Li, J. Xu, J. Org. Chem., 2019, 84, 4443-4450.